Automation Controls Engineer, Capital Projects and Robotics
Quick facts
- Type
- Full-time
- Location
- Columbus, MS
- Background
- Master's degree
- Industry
- Manufacturing and Logistics — 110 open jobs
- Visa in listing
- H-1B
- Apply
- Free to apply — never pay anyone for a job offer or visa sponsorship
Job description
Job title: Automation Controls Engineer, Capital Projects and Robotics
Run your own projects, from bid to buy-off.
At many large plants, a controls engineer waits for someone else to approve, buy and schedule. Here, you do it. A Fortune 500 manufacturer is adding an Automation Controls Engineer at its machining and assembly plant in Northeast Mississippi, and the role comes with real ownership:
- Prepare, manage and deliver capital budget projects
- Solicit bids, choose suppliers and hold them to plant safety, electrical and automation standards
- Design changes to PLC, robotic and electrical equipment that raise uptime
- Lead major maintenance, emergency repairs and root-cause fixes
- Work with IT on process monitoring and continuous improvement; support Six Sigma projects
- Report project status directly to plant management
- Lead and mentor others
You'll need:
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering (required); Master's or MBA preferred
- 7+ years in automation, manufacturing preferred
- Strong Siemens PLC and TIA Portal skills
- Profibus, Profisafe, Safety Integrated and ASI-Bus
- FANUC robots and vision, Cognex and Atlas Copco (strongly preferred)
- Comfort managing several projects at once with shifting priorities
Benefits: a fully funded pension on top of a 401(k) with a 5% dollar-for-dollar match, medical, dental and vision, tuition reimbursement, company-paid disability and life insurance, 12 paid holidays plus vacation and sick time, and relocation assistance from the Nashville area. Base salary is competitive and shared on our first call.
Work authorization: US citizens and permanent residents preferred; TN and H-1B sponsorship considered for strong candidates.
On-site in Northeast Mississippi. Apply with your resume or message me. Confidential.
Visa sponsorship record
No public sponsorship records foundWe didn't find H-1B, H-1B1, E-3 or green card (PERM) filings under the name Rauch & Associates in the Department of Labor and USCIS data. That doesn't mean the job can't be sponsored — the company may file under a different legal name, be new to sponsorship, or sponsor a visa that isn't in these datasets (for example H-2B or J-1).
Tip: ask the recruiter early, in writing, which visa they sponsor and whether they cover the legal and filing fees.
Which visas can work for this job
Occupation: Engineers, All Other (SOC 17-2199) — estimated from the job title.
- Mentioned in the listing
H-1B
- H-1B cap-exempt employer
Regular cap-subject employer — a new H-1B needs to win the lottery in March (unless you already hold cap-counted H-1B status).
- TN (citizens of Canada and Mexico)
This kind of role may fit the USMCA profession “Engineer” — it depends on the actual duties. No lottery, no cap; you need the matching degree or license.
- E-3 (Australia) and H-1B1 (Chile, Singapore)
Same degree requirement as H-1B, but no lottery and a separate quota that is rarely filled.
- O-1 (extraordinary ability)
For candidates with awards, publications, press, a high salary or critical roles at distinguished organizations. No cap, no lottery; the employer files a petition.
- STEM OPT extension (F-1 students)
Requires an E-Verify employer. We didn't find this company in the E-Verify list — ask HR.
Salary vs prevailing wage
Engineers, All Other · Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area. Annual prevailing wages set by the Department of Labor (OFLC).
| Level | Prevailing wage | H-1B lottery odds* |
|---|---|---|
| Level I | $54,974 | ~15% |
| Level II | $70,304 | ~31% |
| Level III | $85,654 | ~46% |
| Level IV | $100,984 | ~61% |
The listing has no salary, so we can't place it on a wage level. Ask the employer which wage level they'd file at: Level III–IV registrations get 3–4 entries in the H-1B lottery.
* Odds are DHS projections for the FY2027 wage-weighted lottery (actual results vary by year and employer). Since the FY2027 cap season the H-1B lottery is weighted by wage level: Level I = 1 entry, II = 2, III = 3, IV = 4. The level is set by the offered wage against the prevailing wage for the occupation and worksite. Separately, a $100,000 fee for new H-1B petitions for workers outside the US was announced in 2025; as of September 2026 a federal court ruling keeps it unenforceable while appeals continue — check the current status.
Sources: U.S. Department of Labor OFLC disclosure data (H-1B/H-1B1/E-3 LCA, PERM), OFLC prevailing wage data, USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub, E-Verify participating employers. Data loaded: LCA FY2024–FY2026, PERM, USCIS Data Hub, OFLC wages; updated 2026-10-03. Employers are matched by name, so records of companies with similar names can occasionally be mixed up. This is general information, not legal advice — talk to an immigration attorney about your case.